Full disclosure: I've been a customer of DeCarlos for 2+ years but have resisted leaving him a review mostly because I don't want you to discover him and add to the wait typical for his services. He is THAT kind of good. But the world of men's clothing would be a better place if there were more like him, so I'll leave a review.
If you're new to the world of bespoke, it's worth doing some research in order to understand how it operates so you'll get the most of the experience. (Test: if you don't know what floating canvas is then go start there.) In the six years since I discovered the world of bespoke, I've used 5 different tailors and had 12 suits made for me. I can honestly say that the 2 suits and tuxedo that DeCarlos crafted are the best. I only wish I had found him earlier.
First, fabrics: DC has a good curated selection of fabrics for your bespoke suit, although these might feel more curated than what's typical at a larger operation. Personally I think this is a good thing and you can tell that DC thought hard about each option before deciding to include it in his stock. He also has a talent for discovering fabrics that adjust their color depending on the light, which is not something I've typically come across in my experience. He also is able to order fabrics and has the standard of sample books, although my personal bias is to want to see the fabric in person given the investment expense that's typical of bespoke pricing.
Second, style: DeCarlos suits have a cut that that is edgy and more urban than what you might find typically out there. I'm personally a big fan but my career isn't in finance or any place that might skew more conservative fashion-wise. If you're in that setting you should work with him in figuring out how to adjust his design instincts to your context. There are many options that you can adjust and tailor to your liking, from the cut of the label, to the rear flap, count of buttons on sleeves, placement of pockets, number of buttons, color of liner, etc. All this is to say that if you're someone who likes to tinker with these things than you will do very well in the experience. I'm a little more middle of road and even in that case DeCarlos is excellent at offering suggestions and improvements.
Third, process: Bespoke is not something you can rush and so I'd highly advise that you plan well ahead especially if you have an event that requires his product. In my case I needed a tux for a black tie gala and gave DC about 9 weeks to complete, all during his busy wedding season. Ultimately the tux came out amazing and was delivered on schedule, but the stress of a deadline is really not something you want to encumber in the bespoke process. As other reviews may have noted, he gets busy and it can sometimes feel a little mysterious about the progress of work.
Since then, I had another suit made but which I did not need for a specific event - this is really the position you want to be in when working with DeCarlos (or any bespoke provider). We went through between 3-5 fittings for a suit, which is exactly what bespoke is - iterative creativity. My main concern was getting the fit right and DC absolutely nailed it.
If you're ready to do bespoke - and have the time, resources, and patience to invest - I cannot recommend DeCarlos enough. He literally has made the best-fitting clothing I've ever had in my life. read more